Mark Mauney would’ve preferred the Cherryville Rescue Squad continue serving its community as it had for 40 years.

That wasn’t to be. So, as an alternative, he’s happy Gaston County will soon hire new personnel to staff a basic life support station 24 hours a day in Cherryville.

“The main thing is providing the best care we can for the citizens of Cherryville, because Cherryville deserves as much as any other area,” said Mauney, the former board chairman of the Cherryville Rescue Squad. “I think this will be a great move and a benefit for the city.”

GastonCounty commissioners on Tuesday approved a contract that will involve Gaston Emergency Medical Services leasing the rescue squad’s former home from the city of Cherryville for $500 a month. Water, sewer and garbage service will be provided by the city at no additional cost.

The city will also replace the building’s heating and air conditioning, repair the floor and provide for all building maintenance except for small, routine repairs.

GEMS will in turn hire eight emergency medical technicians, or EMTs, who will staff the new base around the clock. The county will pay the electric bill.

The target date for hiring the new employees is in October, with a goal of staffing the new emergency services base by November, said Gaston County Commissioner Alan Fraley, who represents Cherryville Township.

The 40-year-old Cherryville Rescue Squad shut down in February 2012 after county commissioners learned it was coming up short on payroll and other expenses.

The Dallas Rescue Squad has been providing emergency medical coverage to Cherryville since then. But its resources have recently been stretched due to covering for the now-defunct Gaston Life Saving Crew.

Mauney credited Fraley and GEMS Director Mark Lamphiear with stepping up to find a solution. Both recognized an EMT base was needed 24-7 in Cherryville, he said.

“(Fraley) researched it and saw there was a need,” he said. “Mr. Lamphiear has been very supportive of the Cherryville Rescue Squad over the years. He could see we needed a truck around the clock here as well.”

Fraley, in turn, said Dallas Rescue’s assistance has been critical. The squad will continue to provide aid to its western neighbors through November.

“They really helped us out in our time of need, and I really appreciate everything they did to help the citizens of Cherryville,” he said. “They did a fine job.”

One of the county’s triggers for opening the new EMT base was the fact that Peak Resources will open a new Cherryville rehabilitation center next month with more than 100 beds, Fraley said. Basic lifesaving calls are expected to increase substantially in the area as a result, and the new EMTs will be able to fill that need, he said.

Page 2 of 2 - “We don’t want to tie our (GEMS) paramedics up on those calls when we need them more for the true emergency situations,” Fraley said.

Mauney said having the new base in Cherryville will be a huge boon.

“If you’ve people to provide care and get a patient to a hospital quickly, that’s what it’s all about,” he said. “No matter who does it.”

You can reach Michael Barrett at 704-869-1826 or twitter.com/GazetteMike.